Author Topic: Not car related, but a nice old HA-63 receiver from Lafayette -  (Read 6922 times)

Offline goodfellow

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Picked this up from a friend's old garage -- a vintage early 60s 4-band AM/CW Lafayette HA-63 receiver. Kind of rare these days and not very common even back in the day. They were imported from Japan and IIRC they were manufactured by Trio-Kenwood. The quality of Japanese electronics was starting to show back in 1963. Lafayette imported a lot of their equipment from Japan in order to offer rock bottom pricing. They were the Harbor Freight of the retail electronics market back in the day.

Dirty as all get out and it will need a thorough cleaning and a quick test using a VARIAC to slowly bring it up to operating voltage. Chances are that the electrolytic filter caps are toast at this point, but that's an easy fix.







LOL -- First thing I touch on the thing, and the bakelite knob breaks apart -- time for some crazy glue.  ;)



Only big problem is the silk screened frequency scales on the glass fascia are starting to get flaky --   



 

Offline muddy

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Re: Not car related, but a nice old HA-63 receiver from Lafayette -
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2019, 06:48:15 PM »
CW? citizens wave?

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk


Offline goodfellow

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Re: Not car related, but a nice old HA-63 receiver from Lafayette -
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2019, 07:09:25 PM »
CW? citizens wave?

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk



Continuous Wave -- aka it's a mode for receiving Morse Code

Offline stokester

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Re: Not car related, but a nice old HA-63 receiver from Lafayette -
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2019, 07:19:05 PM »
4 bands? 

A couple of SW as well? 

Do I see a BFO switch setting?
Nick
Yorktown, VA

Offline goodfellow

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Re: Not car related, but a nice old HA-63 receiver from Lafayette -
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2019, 07:37:30 PM »
Do I see a BFO switch setting?

Absolutely -- pretty cool little receiver (if you're odd like me and love tube radios) -- LOL

Offline stokester

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Re: Not car related, but a nice old HA-63 receiver from Lafayette -
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2019, 08:05:48 PM »

Absolutely -- pretty cool little receiver (if you're odd like me and love tube radios) -- LOL
[/quote]

I like the tube, or valve radios and find them fun to work on but sometime intimidating with the dangerous voltages and the frequent use of the case as a ground or common.  The automobile models with their vibrators are particularly interesting  :)

The use of a variac and dim-bulb test is highly recommended BEFORE plugging in for the uninitiated who has a tube radio of unknown condition.
Nick
Yorktown, VA

Offline pep

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Re: Not car related, but a nice old HA-63 receiver from Lafayette -
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2019, 09:47:13 PM »
Lafayette sold kits also competing with Heathkit ....

 I miss those projects, last ones built, Dynaco Stereo, 2 power amps, 2 pre-amps, AM/FM receiver, AKA the poor mans McIntosh.  It was quad don't cha know, now called surround sound.

 Think the new gen could build them ?  :D
1776 ................... what happened!

Offline goodfellow

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Re: Not car related, but a nice old HA-63 receiver from Lafayette -
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2019, 01:20:35 PM »
Didn't have to look very far to find the first problem -- two 50+ year old filter capacitors are totally shot. They weren't just electrically "leaky", but actually physically leaked out the bottom of the can. Ordered some cheap replacements online and that should be good enough to get at least a faint signal.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2019, 01:22:49 PM by goodfellow »

Offline stokester

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Re: Not car related, but a nice old HA-63 receiver from Lafayette -
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2019, 02:42:36 PM »
Didn't have to look very far to find the first problem -- two 50+ year old filter capacitors are totally shot. They weren't just electrically "leaky", but actually physically leaked out the bottom of the can. Ordered some cheap replacements online and that should be good enough to get at least a faint signal.
Yup, those filter caps in the power supply are almost always shot with some actually exploding out of the case.  Replace those and any paper caps and chances are you will get an working radio.

Just finished up a complete refurbish of a Motorola 8M.  All new caps, solid-state vibrator, new speaker with alignment playing on the bench as I watch the game and savor a nice amber ale.  It will be reinstalled in a 1959 Borgwald Isabella.
Nick
Yorktown, VA

Offline goodfellow

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Re: Not car related, but a nice old HA-63 receiver from Lafayette -
« Reply #9 on: January 20, 2019, 02:57:24 PM »
Very nice work Nick -- congrats on a job well done!

Offline hofferwood

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Re: Not car related, but a nice old HA-63 receiver from Lafayette -
« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2019, 05:26:11 PM »

Dirty as all get out and it will need a thorough cleaning and a quick test using a VARIAC to slowly bring it up to operating voltage. Chances are that the electrolytic filter caps are toast at this point, but that's an easy fix.
 

 


VARIACS---------You guys are wussys----hit it hard and listen to those old caps go ------BOOM. The old tubes like it too---- :D :D


This is a New Ameritron amp, with about 3 hrs on it.  AL-811, was blowing on board fuse.

I always use my Variac. ;D



                           <iframe width="560" height="315" src=" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
If it aint broke----fix it till it is-----there's nothing more permanent than a temporary fix.

Offline stokester

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Re: Not car related, but a nice old HA-63 receiver from Lafayette -
« Reply #11 on: January 21, 2019, 05:51:13 PM »

[/quote]
VARIACS---------You guys are wussys----hit it hard and listen to those old caps go ------BOOM. The old tubes like it too---- :D :D
[/quote]

That great glow and warmth from a tube red-plating is sooo comforting. :D
Nick
Yorktown, VA